Message from your President, Suzanne Chapelle

July 3, 2018

Dear Members,

I am returning from our National Organization’s Annual Nursing Conference, held in Baltimore Maryland, reflecting on what this experience has meant to me and how I can share that with all of you. Many of us have gotten into the habit of asking ourselves “ what is the biggest take away” or “what practice pearls” did I acquire during this conference or class that will help me improve my office practice or self?  For me, other than validating my dislike for 90-degree temperatures and 75-80% humidity; was validating the need for a collective Alaska School Nurse voice that reflects the size of our state. Which by the way is 586,000sq. miles, more area than the 26 smallest states.  Arcane information you usually get asked when informing those you come from the great state of Alaska.

It is not important that we know this. (By the way I had a cheat sheet for questions like that) It is important that we can each speak to the communities we work in and the school population we serve. It is equally important that we celebrate one another’s achievements and seek to help each other with our expressed challenges. This is YOUR unique voice. This is OUR collective voice. I like the word “collective” implying that you are not alone.

My hopes are that as your president I can help to make our collective voices heard on the state and national level.  Please help me do this by spending time getting to know your state organization and board members, your Alaska School Health Nurse Consultant, and consider actively getting involved.  A good start would be to sign up this year to work on one of our committees.

I would love to hear from you. My email is: suzanne.chapelle@matsuk12.us

A big shout out to those nurses who attended; we had 11 attendees!!

I think I can speak for them and say that we were all proud to represent our great state of Alaska.

Lori Schneider- Fairbanks School District, NASN Director
Carol Asp- President Elect, Kenai School District
Wendy DeGraffenried- Vice President, Mat-Su School District
Regina Pierce- ASD , our “millennial” representative
Angela Conway – ASD
Christy Kinter- Kodiak SD
Nancy Bale- ASD, Legislative Liaison
Emelyn Hudson- ASD, Healthcare Services Coordinator
Patty Barker- ASD and ASNA past president, past director
Barb Pennington- Alaska School Nurse Consultant

Thank you for giving me the opportunity to serve each and every one of you.

Suzanne Chapelle BSN, RN, NCSN - ASNA President
Cottonwood Creek Elementary - Mat-Su SD